Westfield Corporation and Uber today announced a national partnership that pairs the ridesharing technology company with one of the world’s premier retail developers, with a growing portfolio of flagship assets in the U.S. The deal underscores how, more than ever before, Westfield is leveraging the power of technology within its physical shopping environments to create greater value and dynamic, engaging experiences for consumers.
The multi-faceted partnership includes a variety of customer services and benefits designed to make shopping at a Westfield center more convenient and enjoyable. Westfield will host designated drop-off and pick-up stations for Uber vehicles at every one of its shopping centers in the United States and will digitally map those locations onto Uber’s rider application. That means that anyone requesting a ride with Uber will be able to quickly identify where they should get picked up and dropped off when traveling to and from the shopping center in an Uber.
“Westfield’s shopping centers already have an incredible combination of fashion, food, services, and amenities – all in one place with digital enhancements such as product search, directional and frictionless parking,”said William Hecht, Westfield’s chief operating officer in the United States. “Now, we are thrilled to be able to partner with Uber to leverage modern technology in a way that makes it more convenient than ever to travel to and from any Westfield destination.”
The deal also includes the introduction of Westfield’s first permanent Uber Lounge at Westfield Century City in Los Angeles. The center, undergoing a $1 billion renovation to debut this fall, is the next project to be unveiled as part of the company’s strategy to create the pre-eminent global shopping center portfolio. Westfield Century City’s Uber Lounge will feature ultra-modern design, sleek seating, and unexpected customer amenities allowing customers to wait for their Uber in style.
Moving forward, Westfield centers will host between one and ten Uber stations – each with prominent visibility, accessibility, and signage – similar to dedicated taxi stands or ridesharing pick-up points at large entertainment and transportation venues. At selected Westfield destinations, the Uber stations will also include kiosks with customer service representatives and brand ambassadors trained to engage with customers and facilitate their Uber experience.
“Uber wants to make transportation seamless for everyone, everywhere – but we can’t do it alone,” said Amy Friedlander Hoffman, Uber’s Head of Business Development & Experiential Marketing. “Partners like Westfield play an important role in cities and how people move within them, so we’re excited to work together on this first of its kind initiative aimed at delivering the best possible experience to our riders when they’re going shopping, dining or catching a movie.”
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